Lamar Jackson will return to Louisville next season where he will retake his place as the favorite to win the Heisman trophy award for 2017. However, Jackson will be the 10th player to return to school after winning the award since Archie Griffin became the only two-time winner in 1975. Seven of those returning Heisman winners have come over the last seven years and the majority of them haven’t come close to winning the award a second time. Jackson will be the betting favorite but he will have some tough competition as he attempts to match his ridiculous production from this past season. Here is a look at the top Heisman trophy candidates for 2017.
QB: Lamar Jackson, Louisville Cardinals
Jackson showed off his outstanding dual-threat ability with 3,390 passing yards and 30 touchdowns along with another 1,538 rushing yards and 21 scores last season. The sophomore quarterback routinely filled the highlight reel with his lightning quick speed, amazing cutting ability and a rocket arm that could make deep passes look routine. Jackson will return to Louisville with another year of experience and a strong cast of weapons so he has to be considered the favorite looking forward to 2017. However, history has shown that repeating as a Heisman trophy winner isn’t likely so Jackson will definitely have his work cut out for him if he wants to win the award in back-to-back years.
RB: Saquon Barkley, Penn State Nittany Lions
Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley will garner plenty of hype heading in to 2017 but Barkley might be the better Heisman option based on his skill set and projected workload for next year. Barkley could very well be the best running back in the country and despite injuries he still finished with 1,302 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns this past season. Barkley could have an even bigger workload if he can stay healthy next season and his dual-threat ability as a receiver will make him have an extremely high ceiling for 2017.
QB: Sam Darnold, USC Trojans
Darnold will attempt to become the seventh Heisman trophy winner all-time and he should enter next season as the most hyped player in the Pac-12. Darnold became the starter in the Trojans’ fourth game of the season and he threw for 2,633 yards and 26 touchdowns. His dual-threat ability means he will be able to rack up the yards both on the ground and through the air while making the type of exciting plays that keep ihim in the spotlight every single week.
QB: Jalen Hurts, Alabama Crimson Tide
After leading his team to a perfect regular season, Hurts will have the opportunity to make sure Alabama brings home its second national championship in as many seasons. Looking forward to 2017, the sky will be the limit for the young quarterback based on his incredible dual-threat ability. Hurts will need to improve on his passing ability in order to become a more complete player and if he can make progress in that area to compliment his incredible rushing ability, then he will definitely be in the mix leading one of the best teams in the country next season. It will be interesting to see how he performs with Steve Sarkisian as his head coach opposed to Lane Kiffin. Kiffin has moved on to take the head coaching job at Florida Atlantic.
QB: Quinton Flowers, South Florida Bulls
One more name that has to be remembered looking forward to 2017 is Flowers, who is coming off an incredible season at South Florida. Flowers ran for 1,425 yards, which was the second-highest mark in the country behind only Jackson at Louisville. Meanwhile, Flowers is also a quality passer that can spread the ball around and make big plays and another year of experience will only help him get better in that area. Flowers is an intriguing quarterback prospect that could be in line for a massive 2017 season, so he has to be in this conversation. The one concern is that the head coach that led the team to such a fantastic season – Willie Taggart – has left to take over the Oregon Ducks program. It will be interesting to see how the Bulls respond and if they’re able to continue their momentum. Incoming head coach Charlie Strong is a good one but he might present a different style or strategy, which could impact Flowers’ numbers next season.
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